'He was my right hand'

Borinquenfest organizer continues work despite her loss.

June 20, 2008|By Veronica Torrejon Of The Morning Call

Olga Negron has known miracles and a gentle force that has nudged her forward this year through grief and exhaustion.

In March, she was in the middle of planning BorinquenFest when her husband and fellow-organizer, Angel Luis Cabrera, died suddenly at age 44 after suffering an allergic reaction to one of his favorite dishes, octopus salad.

"We were in shock; it felt like the twilight zone," said Negron of everyone on the Puerto Rican Cultural Coalition's festival-organizing committee. "We thought, should we cancel?"

But in the end, not even the sudden and heart-wrenching loss of a longtime committee member could stop the Puerto Rican festival. Over the last half century, one of the miracles of the weekend festival, which kicks off in Bethlehem today, is how it has teetered on the brink of extinction every six or seven years only to be rescued and revived.

The extensive volunteer hours, organization and fundraising for the event that draws thousands each year, has driven many groups over the years to the point of exhaustion, Negron said. Along with her late husband and other committee members, Negron has sacrificed vacation days from work, lunch breaks and sleep to organize the event for the last six years.

"It gets to the point where people who organize it get worn out and it looks like the event will go away," she said.

But it is at that point that miracles begin to happen. According to Negron, the festival began as a parade more than 50 years ago in honor of San Juan, the patron saint of the Puerto Rico's capital city. It was organized by the Puerto Rican Beneficial Society. What had grown from a parade to a festival was later taken over by the Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of the Lehigh Valley. Holy Infancy Church was the next group to organize the festival.

Tradition has it every six or seven years, weary festival organizers have looked to call it quits and each time at the last minute another group has stepped in, infusing the event with renewed energy. Six years ago the Puerto Rican Cultural Coalition took over, led by Negron.

It was a labor of love. A year after she began, she married Cabrera, a musician who shared her sense of cultural pride and community involvement. She brought him on board with the committee.

When he died, Negron and other festival organizers didn't think they had the energy to move forward with plans. The festival's future was again in jeopardy.

Then, one of Cabrera's favorite singers from Puerto Rico called and suggested a new festival theme, a memorial for Cabrera. He offered his services for the price of a plane ticket and hotel room.

More miracles were in the works. Sponsors that Cabrera had recruited came through with funding, musical acts he hadn't yet lined up called to ask if they could play again this year.

For Negron, it was as if he were gently nudging her forward. She even went to his grave to ask for advice about the festival, she said, suddenly losing her composure.

"It's a good cry," she said. "It's happiness."

On Sunday, Julio Cesar Sanabria will sing the story of Cabrera's life. It will be a special moment for Negron, a reward for years of hard work. Overcome by exhaustion that has been the demise of most organizers over the years, Negron is in the process of grooming successors.

The newly elected president of the cultural coalition, Edward Melendez, has already infused the festival with new ideas, including a car show.

"I have so many ideas in mind that I'd like to develop," Melendez said.

He also has the energy. After working 10-hour days at the Nestle plant in Fogelsville, a weary Melendez has joined volunteer construction crews until 1 a.m. for three nights, building the festival museum, a temporary structure built in the rustic style of a mountainside home in Puerto Rico. At the festival's end the house, known as la casita, is dismantled.

"It's worth it," said Melendez.

The coalition's treasurer, Omayra Sanchez, has also been taking an increasingly active role in the festival, said Negron, who joined Sanchez, Melendez and other volunteers Wednesday evening decorating a float for the parade.

Volunteers all share a passion for their culture and the desire to instill pride in the next generation. Pride and a positive self-image help young people become good citizens, they say. That's why all the proceeds of the festival go toward a scholarship fund.

Negron is proud of the festival's work.

"Without her, it's nothing," said Sanchez, gesturing to Negron.

"Don't say that," Negron quickly shot back.

There will always be a festival, she said as she bounced 1-year-old Joelimar Luna on her knee. Joelimar came with her parents to decorate the float. To Negron, she represented the future, the next generation of festival organizers.

"First," Negron said to Joelimar, "you will be the queen of the parade."

BORINQUENFEST

What: Celebration of Puerto Rican culture

Where: The Hill-to-Hill Bridge area off Main Street in Bethlehem

When: Friday-Sunday

Activities: A parade, motorcycle and car shows, food, arts and crafts, a museum, and live music

New this year: Musical acts will dedicate songs to longtime festival organizer Angel Luis Cabrera. Organizers will wear T-shirts with his picture and fly flags of his native Ponce, a city in the southern part of Puerto Rico.

For more information and a complete schedule of events visit www.borinquenfest.org